South Africa arrives on Australian soil gunning for the ailing king’s throne. Despite the mercurial efforts of an outstanding Indian unit over the past two months Australia remains atop the ICC world rankings as the champions of the five-day game. South Africa, not for the first time, travels the Indian Ocean as test cricket’s second ranked nation. But unlike the past, where the gulf between one and two has been as wide as that stretch of water, the Proteas it seems have never had a better chance at claiming the scalp of its bitter rival in foreign territory.
Since readmission to world cricket, post-apartheid nearly 17 years ago, South Africa, an ultra-consistent, ultra-competitive, and almost uber-disciplined outfit has claimed just one test match between these two nations on this wide brown land. It was one of their greatest test victories. It is a victory, in the context of this series, well-worth revisiting.
1992 was a watershed year for South African sport. Banished from all international competition in 1970 for the fundamental racism of its political regime, some of the world’s best cricketers had been denied its most prestigious stage.
In 1992 they returned rejuvenated, and almost immediately achieved Cinderella-type success. After reaching the World Cup semi-final, rain and a decadent scoring revision system cruelly denied them a place in the final.
The Proteas returned to test cricket a month later in Barbados, where they were beaten by the world’s best side, the West Indies, in a competitive one-off encounter. They then produced two series victories against India at home and Sri Lanka away.
Their arrival in Australia presented their biggest challenge, however the similarities to this side are worth exploring. They were coming to these shores with form and a well balanced side to match.
Kepler Wessels was a strong leader, with extraordinary and unique experience in Australia having played 24 test matches for his adopted nation before returning to his homeland. His side featured solidarity at the top in the form of two stonewalls Andrew Hudson and Gary Kirsten, similar to Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie. Hansie Cronje and Darryl Cullinan provided power and touch at three and four, Not dissimilar to Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis. Whilst Jonty Rhodes was Wessel’s version of AB de Villiers, providing the energy and exuberance of youth, mixing well with grafter Wessels, whose technique looks as if it has provided a framework for Ashwell Prince’s game to follow. Dave Richardson was a loyal and stubborn customer, much like Mark Boucher, with bat and gloves, whilst the attack had the pace and variety of the current Proteas. Allan Donald and Fannie de Villiers provided the fire, Craig Matthews was a consistent and tireless workhorse, and Pat Symcox added the spin component without flash but with vigour.
Typical of Melbourne, the first test over Boxing Day was ruined by rain. The traditional New Year’s test in Sydney was the second of three rather than the culmination of the long form for the summer as has become customary these days, with last year as an exception.
Kepler Wessels won the toss and elected to bat but the Proteas were bamboozled by the unseen mysteries of Shane Warne. The Australian leg-spinner was racing towards 100 test scalps and after sending England into therapy during the winter, it seemed the South Africans and in particular Darryl Cullinan would soon follow suit. Warne’s virtuoso performance of 7/52 saw the Proteas skittled for 169. The loss of Australian Vice-Captain Mark Taylor that evening, having made 170 in Melbourne, set the scene for the intrigue that was to follow.
Australia’s two prodigies, Michael Slater (92) and Damien Martyn (59) provided the backbone of its 292, which yielded a first innings lead of 123. Donald and de Villiers did the bulk of the damage taking four wickets apiece.
South Africa’s second attempt was not that much better than its first. Again though it was a dynamic youth, rather than a seasoned pro which held the innings together. Jonty Rhodes’ unbeaten 76 ensured Australia chased more than three figures to win. Warne added five more Proteas to his collection and finished with match figures of 12/128.
Australia had four sessions to overhaul 117 and move to Adelaide with a one nil lead. But just as Darryl Cullinan’s phobia of Warne was cultivated in Sydney, so too was Australia’s propensity to choke on snack-sized run chases.
Slater fell early before Taylor and David Boon calmly guided the score to 51 whereupon de Villiers removed Boon and then night-watchman Tim May in consecutive deliveries to take his match tally to seven wickets.
Taylor nicked off soon after to give de Villiers four for the session and the jitters had well and truly set in. Allan Border brick-walled with a coolheaded Mark Waugh to close day four at 4/63, Australia still required a nervous 54 to win.
Border fell to Donald without adding to the total early on day five. Donald trapped Waugh in-front nine runs later before de Villiers claimed Ian Healy for his fifth leaving Martyn, in just his eleventh test innings, and three bowlers to get the remaining 44.
Warne was then run out for just 1 which brought Craig McDermott to the crease with 42 required, ironically the same deficit as when he strode to the crease in Adelaide a year earlier in a nail-biter against the West Indies. Battle hardened from the scars of losing that epic by one run, McDermott took the senior role compiling 29 in a 35 run stand with the far superior batsman Martyn, who added just 6 runs in 58 balls. His 59th proved fatal, a soft shot not only cost him his wicket, but for his crime - exiting seven runs short of victory - he was banished from test ranks for six years.
Glenn McGrath’s batting in 1994 was what New Zealand’s Chris Martin’s is in 2008. He lasted seven deliveries before gifting de Villiers a return catch. The South African quick accepted it gleefully to seal a historic test victory and his man of the match award.
Since then South Africa’s record in Australia has been dismal. The only time they came close to winning a test match here was in 1998 when dropped catches and a Mark Waugh century denied them a series save in Adelaide. Their tour of 2001-2 was marred by selection quota dramas and they failed to walk the walk having talked the talk in 2005-6.
As the test world’s second best side throughout that period, they have been nothing short of disappointing. All of their stars retain woeful individual records against the baggy greens as well. This makes this series all the more vital.
They will never get a better opportunity to win on Australian soil. There is no Warne, no McGrath, no Martyn, no Adam Gilchrist, no Justin Langer, and no Stuart Clark, all of whom have tortured the Proteas at one stage or another. Australia, if Peter Siddle and Jason Krejza play together, will field its fourth side since the 2005 Ashes with two players who have not tasted a test match victory. On the three previous occasions; Perth 2008, Mohali and Nagpur 2008, Australia have lost, their only three losses in that period.
The stars are aligned for Graeme Smith’s men.
They must now take their chance.
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